Electric cooking utensil



Nov. 19, 1940. c. J. SHERMAN ELECTRIC COOKING UTENSIL Filed Feb. 15, 1939 INVENTOR. (rv-a// J Jae/WM,

ATTORNEYJ.

Patented Nov. 19, 1940 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC COOKING Carroll J. Sherman, Indianapolis, Ind., asslgnor to Antomatio'Cook Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation ot-Indiana Application February 15, 1939, Serial No; 256,580 2 Claims. 401. 219-44) A comparatively recent development in household cooklng involves the practice of cooking comestibles with little or no added water in portable cooking utensils having appropriately weighted covers associated with the container in such manner that a water seal is automatically produced between the cooking vessel and its cove at temperatures somewhat below 112 F.

In operations of this character, the raw food,v

' with its natural water content, is placed in the main body-o1 the utensil, without, or with but very little, added water; the weighted cover is placed in position and the receptacle placed upon the source of heat as, for instance, a gas flame or an electrically heated element. Initial heating causes first, an expansion of air within the receptacle and expulsion of the major portion thereof from the receptacle from the annular line 01' contact between the receptacle and the cover. Further heating develops water vapor from the natural content of the comestible and. this water vapor drives out the remaining ale and a portion oi the water vapor condenses upon the under surface of the cover and descencleto dorm a water seal between the cover anclthe main body of the receptacle. This water seal is formed at a temperature somewhat helow 212 F. and between the temperature at wlllch this con tiltion ls reached and the temperature at which so; the water seal will be broken by increased ternal pressure is the desirable temperature range for proper cooking of the comestlble, the maximum of this-range being dependent upon the weight of the cover relative to its internal area. This maximum varies somewhat cc= cordance with the character of the comectlhle which is to be cooked and consequently various y weights of the covers being dependent upon characteristics of the comestiblce. Eeretofore in the practice of this method household cooking, the issuance vapor beta the receptacle and cover was a SlE'lil -fi toe oil 3 operator to reduce the applied heat, the tlce being to supply heat from this onward just sufficient to avoid breaking of coal. This desirable maintenance o2 ccnth leci application oi heat required skill and er tention aml operators were unable ole taintlle best results. The object oi my present inventl ride an improved form of portable w oil, more particularly an improved for 1 cl cover element of such character that automatic eontrol of heat application may be dependent upon temperature conditions within the receptacle, the construction beingv such that the mechanism will not be injuriously ailected by vapors arising from the comestlbles.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my vention.

Fig. l is a perspective view of an ordinary household cooking range, either or the gas burn-=- ing type or the electrically heated type, upon which has been placed one of my improved portable utensils;

Fig. 2 is largely diagrammatic in character, and illustrates in vertical section one of my improved portable cooking utensils in conjunction with the electrically operated control means for control" ling the flow oi iuel gas to thentensil when placed upon one of the gas burners of a gas range;

Fig. 3 a larger scale view, about full size, in partial vertical section 0! the thermostatic controlled terminal mechanism carried by the cover oi the cooking vessel; and

Fig. l a plan of the thermostatically controlled In the drawing, portable utensil it re pro vlcleil, at its upper and, with ale annular seat ll adapted to receive the lower amiular edge the bell-like cover ill, the weight of which, together with parts carried thereby; proportioned for'the type cl oomestible to be cooked there under. 7

W is melfially perloratell at l 3 to receive the axially cored stem it on the under of base plate it which may, it desired, be formed of electrlc insulating materlal although, in th cree out construction, it illustrated. w of metal.

llournallecl the here oi stem M B a tube ME outer upper end cl? which is attached an ll lower loner end of which l8 cortical Toy collar [10 co screw 29. Journal p c tulle t sleeve by a vam Fltiotally mo plate lit at cwhlch will provide tr cel illtlllctlon ll l5 is is teas minal 2| provided at its outer end with a contact point 22. The outer face of plate l5 carries a boss 22 which carries an axially adjustable terminal point 24 electrically insulated from arm 2| and adapted to meet with terminal point between point 22 and terminal 34 by means of a spring 25 abutting a metal stop 28 carried by post 21 'on plate II. If the plate II is metal the abutment 28 is insulated from plate It, asim dicated in Fig. 4. 1 I

A lug 45 of insulating material is carried by arm 2| in position to be engaged by cam 22 so that the positionof terminal point 22 relative to terminal 24 will be controlled by the position of cam 22.

overlying arm I] is a clamping bar it which may be clamped down upon arm II by means of clamping screws ll, H to hold sleeve it in any desired position of angular adjustment, such adjustment normally carrying with it the cam 22 and shaft 2 i Connected to terminal pin 24 and lying in a substantially horizontal plane above said pin, is a spring terminal 43 and connected to abutment It and lying substantially in the same horizontal nection, through arm II, with spring terminal 4'4.

plane as spring terminal 42 is a spring terminal Fitting over base plate i5 and the exposed parts carried thereby, is a cover cup is which may be conveniently held in place by one or more inwardly projecting pins ll adapted to be passed through radial notches $2 in plate It and turned into peripheral groove 22.

The interior of cup 50 is provided with an axially bored stud 04 through which passes a metal pin ll provided with an axial pocket It, at its outer end, adapted to receive pin I1 of a two wire connecting plug 82. Pin 58 is mounted in a handle knob it of convenient form, and also mounted in said knob and projecting through cup Ill and, insulated therefrom, is the conductor pin I; provided, at its outer end, with axial pocket 02 adapted to receive the conductor pin 03 of plug is.

It will be noted that the thermostatic element 2| lies within the cover l2 and that the terminals 22 and 24 are outside of the cover where they cannot be contaminated by the vapors developed within the cooking vessel; The shell ill preferably fits the periphery of plate ll tightly enough to normally prevent the entry of water -62 of a transformer 82 in the supply circuit ll of which may be the usual controlling means including a program clock II. The low voltage side '02 of the transformer will also include a relay 0., controlling valve or switch mechanism II for the control of fluid, such as gas or electric current, to the heating unit of the stove up n which the vessel is to be placed.

The cooking operations contemplated by the apparatus which has been described are intendj edto'be'carried out at controlled temperatures 1 appropriate for the different comestibles. Meats are preferably cooked at' about 190 to 200 F.; potatoes at 190 to 200 F.; all other vegetables at 180 to 190 F.; fruits and berries at 170' to 180 F.

These. various temperatures result in corresponding pressures within the cooking vessel and therefore, I provide a plurality of covers l2 the total weight of each of which will be so proportioned, relative to its exposed internal area.

that it will be lifted, by the internal pressure. at about the time the desired temperature is reached thus breaking the water seal between the cover and the vessel. These weights may be readily computed for'known areas and temperatures.

Adjustment of arm ll will predetermine the temperature at which cam 22 will engage lug 48 of arm ll so that, when the thermostatic element 25 has reached the predetermined temperature, terminal 32 will be retracted from terminal 34 to cause an automatic action of the controlling relay 66, in a manner well understood, to discontinue the supply of heat to the re-- ceptacle I0 until there has been an appropriate drop of temperature within the vessel whereupon, in response to the action of the thermostatic element 25, contact between 22 and 34 will be re-established and the supp of heat resumed by reason of the action of the relay 68.

I claim as my invention:

1. For use in conjunction with a cooking receptacle having, at its upper end a cover seat adapted, in conjunction with the cover, to form a water seal, a cover seatable in said cover seat and so formed that condensate within the cover will form a water seal within the vessel, a thermostatic element arranged below the under face of the cover and open to contact by vapors arising from contents of such receptacle, a pair of electrical terminals carried by the cover on the outside thereof, vapor-sealed movable means projected through the cover and movable in response to movements of the thermostatic element to control the relation between said outside terminals.

2. For use in conjunction with a cooking receptacle having, at its upper end, a cover seat adapted, in conjunction with the cover, to form a water seal, a cover seatable in said cover seat and so formed that condensate within the cover will form a water seal within the vessel, a tubular shaft journaled in and projecting through said cover, a shaft journaled in said tubular shaft and projecting through said cover, a spiral thermostatic element having its ends anchored respectively upon the inner ends of said tubular shaft and said shaft, an arm carried by the outer end of said tubular shaft outside the cover, means for holding said arm in various positions of adjustment, a cam carried by the outer ends of said shaft outside the cover, a pair of coacting electrical terminals carried by the cover outside thereof, means associated with one of said terminals and engageable by said cam whereby, in response to movements of the thermostatic element, said cam will control the relation between said outside terminals, a dual connection carried by the cover outside thereof and electrically connected to said two terminals.

CARROLL J. SHERMAN. 

